


Stocks

by ioanite



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: Light Bondage, Other, Prompt Fill, Whipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 11:32:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ioanite/pseuds/ioanite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hornblower goes above and beyond the call of duty to help Archie deal with his anxiety.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Doctor's Orders

**Author's Note:**

> Another fill for the Hornblower Kink Meme, for the prompt; "Alternative uses for stocks and queue ribbons". I kept it relatively gen, but if you wish to interpret it in a slashy manner, it's completely understandable.

"And what exactly is the point of all this again?" Horatio asked, as Archie shoved him into a chair.  
  
"I was advised by the doctor to find other ways of channeling my stress, if I wanted to avoid having fits. I thought this way would be the best."  
  
"But why take it out on ME?"  
  
"Because I know you'll put up with it. Now shut up before I gag you as well."  
  
Horatio glanced at the black whip lying on Archie's hammock. "Dare I ask where you acquired that?"  
  
"Found it in my Father's stables." Archie said offhandedly, tugging the ribbon out of his hair and allowing his blond hair to cascade down his shoulders.  
  
Horatio was about to ask what exactly Archie planned to do with it when Archie bent down and began tying Horatio's wrist to the side of the chair. Horatio recoiled. "What on earth..."  
  
"It's harder to hit a moving target." Archie answered, as if that were obvious. While Horatio wondered what exactly he had agreed to, Archie removed Horatio's queue ribbon and bound his other wrist. Straightening up, he smiled at his handiwork. "Good. You won't be getting out of those knots anytime soon. Now then..." he crossed to his hammock and picked up the whip. "Hold still."


	2. Three Years Later...

"Horatio?" Archie whispered nervously. Hearing the uncertainty and fear in Archie's voice, Horatio became alarmed at once. "What's wrong, Archie?"

  
"The same thing that's wrong with everyone on board, Horatio; Captain Sawyer."  
  
Horatio sighed. "I know, Archie, but we have to try to bear it as best we can. Maybe he'll get better when the weather cools down."  
  
"You don't understand, Horatio," Archie said, and Horatio realized to his horror that his friend was quivering in fear, "I think I may start having fits again if this keeps up."  
  
"Oh, God..." Horatio slid out of his hammock and came to Archie's side, rubbing his back gently, "Is there any way you can hold back, Archie? If Sawyer finds out, he'll have you at the gratings for sure."  
  
Archie looked up at him, apologetic. "I think there is a way. You're not going to like it, though."  
  
***  
  
"You can't be serious," Horatio said, staring at the coil of rope in Archie's hand, "If we're caught..."  
  
"The watch won't be by again for another half-an-hour. That's all the time I need."  
  
"Yes, but then there's the matter of noise. Remember what happened last time?"  
  
Archie dangled a spare queue ribbon in front of Horatio's face. "I've already thought of that. Please, Horatio. It's the only way I can stop from going mad myself."  
  
Horatio sighed and pressed himself up against the mast. Archie was nothing if not efficient; it took no more than two minutes to lash Horatio to the mast. Tugging on the final knot, Archie approached Horatio again and gagged him with the ribbon. As Archie backed away, glancing around to check for the watch, Horatio couldn't stop the following thought from running through his head:  
  
"Well, at least I'm not shirtless this time."  
  
Then he heard a telltale CRACK, and was unable to think of anything but the pain.


End file.
